The Cleveland Museum of Art
Portrait of King Charles II of England
Description
Charles II (1630–1685) fled England in 1651 during the English civil war and commissioned this portrait during his exile in France. Charles II never fought on the battlefield, but he was the last British monarch to wear a full suit of armor, which represented his rank and status. The king gestures to the sea beyond the Dover cliffs, and the waiting fleet reveals his intention to return to England, which he did in 1660.
Provenance
Jules Feral (sale: Paris, Hotel Drouot, May 30, 1903, as portrait of James II by Lely); [E. Gimpel and Wildenstein, New York]; Stanley Mortimer, New York (sale: Parke-Bernet, December 2, 1944, no. 85, illus. p. 57); [Duveen Brothers, Inc., New York]. The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Fund, 1959.
Dimensions
129.5 × 97.2 cm
Movement / Period
Accession No
1959.38
Official Citations
Curatorial Affinity Stream
Continuing the Universe of Philippe de Champaigne (French, 1602–1674)
European Painting and Sculpture • France • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries
Continuous Discovery